Gratitude Geek

Gratitude Geek

Gratitude Geek is the podcast for Gen X women solopreneurs who've faced major life challenges like cancer, divorce, or loss—and are rebuilding their businesses and lives with strategy, systems, and gratitude as a powerful business tool. Host Kandas Rodarte—a Gen X metastatic breast cancer thriver, growth coach, and digital marketing pioneer with 30+ years of expertise—interviews inspirational Gen X women entrepreneurs who've transformed adversity into wisdom and business growth. Each week, you'll discover practical strategies for marketing, productivity, building genuine client connections, and creating a business that fits your life. Whether you're starting over after a difficult season or simply ready to grow your business with more authenticity and less hustle, this podcast will help you learn, grow, and foster the connections that matter most. Join the Gratitude Geek community and turn gratitude into your competitive advantage.

Episodes

302: Marketing With Meaning for Gen X Women Solopreneurs | Leslie Smith

December 16, 2025 • 36 mins
When does values-based marketing stop feeling meaningful and start feeling performative? In episode 302 of Gratitude Geek, Kandas Rodarte talks with marketing and public relations veteran Leslie Smith about how solopreneurs can market with meaning without slipping into optics-driven or shallow campaigns. They explore why alignment matters more than visibility, how storytelling builds trust, and what small business owners can reali...
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301: 5 Goal-Setting Shifts You Need Before 2026 | Deb Eckerling

December 9, 2025 • 45 mins
If your goals keep fizzling out by February, this episode is your wake-up call. Award-winning author and goal strategist Debra Eckerling joins me to break down the five essential goal-setting shifts Gen X women solopreneurs must make before 2026. We dig into the real drivers of motivation, the role of personal growth in building momentum, and the overlooked power of celebrating small wins along the way. Deb also explains why tradi...
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300: We Can Do Hard Things: 8 Women in Business Share Their Stories

December 2, 2025 • 47 mins
⚠️ TRIGGER WARNING: This episode contains a discussion about suicide. If you or someone you know is struggling, reach out to a loved one, call or text 988 (the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline), or text TALK to 741-741 to text with a trained crisis counselor from the Crisis Text Line for free, 24/7. Please take care while listening and make sure you're in the right headspace. You are not alone. We Can Do Hard Things. That's the message f...
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299: Image Cycling Aligns Subconscious With True Desires | Ursula Mentjes

November 25, 2025 • 43 mins
Image Cycling - Ursula Mentjes, five-time bestselling author and business growth expert, reveals how to align your subconscious with true desires instead of ego-driven goals. Ursula grew up on a small Minnesota farm, then scaled from outside sales rep to president of a $27 million company in five years before launching her own seven-figure coaching business. She shares the subconscious programming that nearly kept her stuck and ho...
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How Artists Sell Art Without a SINGLE Salesy Post | Miriam Schulman

November 18, 2025 • 44 mins
Learn how to sell art online without feeling salesy from Miriam Schulman, author of Artpreneur. Discover proven marketing strategies for artists, how to sell art on email, and why traditional business advice doesn't work for creative entrepreneurs selling art online. About Miriam Schulman Miriam Schulman is the author of Artpreneur: The Step-by-Step Guide to Making a Sustainable Living from Your Creativity and host of The Inspira...
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Thank Yourself Daily: Self-Gratitude for Gen X Women | Christie Going

November 11, 2025 • 37 mins
Self-care is not selfish and thanking yourself is essential for Gen X women. Licensed massage therapist Christie Going joins Kandas Rodarte to discuss why women struggle with self-gratitude, how to thank yourself daily, and practical self-care tips including their 30-day fitness challenge, hydration hacks, and why Snoop Dogg's "I want to thank myself" moment matters. What You'll Learn: Why self-care is not selfish (especially f...
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Overcome Stage Fright | Mahlena-Rae Johnson

November 4, 2025 • 39 mins
How to overcome stage fright as a woman entrepreneur and leader. Speaker and author Mahlena-Rae Johnson shares her 3-step framework (relax, relate, release) to help introverted women leaders conquer public speaking anxiety and step into their power on stage with confidence. In episode 296 of Gratitude Geek, I sit down with Mahlena-Rae Johnson—speaker, comedian, 6-time author, and self-proclaimed "Professor X for Introverted EdTech...
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I Cut Off My Breasts Before Cancer Could Kill Me | Merit Kahn

October 28, 2025 • 47 mins
What if you could prevent breast cancer before it starts? And what if you could turn that journey—plus divorce and life's biggest challenges—into comedy gold? Comedian Merit Kahn joins host Kandas Rodarte to share her powerful story as a BRCA1 previvor who chose preventative mastectomy at age 40. Merit transformed her experience into a one-woman comedy show called "Optimistic Personality Disorder" and now helps women rewrite the s...
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I Survived Abuse and Cancer—Here's What Healed Me | Deb Davis

October 21, 2025 • 56 mins
In episode 294, I chat with Deb Davis, breast cancer thriver and author of "The Faces of Transparency: What We Reveal," about healing, transparency, and self-advocacy. Deb shares her journey through abuse, breast cancer recovery, and the power of breaking silence. Together they explore three game-changing self-care practices, why transparency matters more than perfection, and how to truly support someone facing cancer—and what NOT ...
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Holistic Cancer Recovery Tools Your Doctor Won't Mention | Christie Going

October 14, 2025 • 50 mins
When you're diagnosed with cancer, your oncologist will tell you about chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery. But what about the complementary therapies that could help you manage side effects, reduce pain, and heal more completely? In this revealing conversation, Kandas sits down with licensed massage therapist and reflexologist Christie Going to discuss the holistic modalities that most doctors never mention—not because they don'...
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I Chose the Harder Surgery & It Saved My Life | Erica Neubert Campbell

October 7, 2025 • 50 mins
What happens when you choose the harder path? Award-winning writer Erica Neubert Campbell shares her transformative breast cancer journey with host Kandas Rodarte in this powerful October breast cancer awareness episode. After watching her mother battle and lose her fight with breast cancer, Erica faced her own diagnosis with hard-won wisdom—choosing a double mastectomy over the easier lumpectomy option. Discover her life-changing ...
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How Resilience Built a Thriving Therapy Practice | Luba Patlakh

September 30, 2025 • 41 mins
Join us in this inspiring episode featuring Luba Patlakh, the Founder & Director of Kidology, Inc. As a resilient entrepreneur, Luba shares her remarkable journey from Manhattan broadcast journalism to establishing a thriving pediatric speech therapy practice. Discover how resilience is not just a personal trait, but a pivotal entrepreneurial superpower that shapes extraordinary businesses. Luba's story reveals the value of transfe...
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Surprising Ways LEGO Creativity Boosts Curiosity and Confidence | Eric Archer

September 23, 2025 • 42 mins
LEGO isn’t just child’s play—it’s a tool for curiosity, confidence, and connection. In episode 290 of Gratitude Geek, host Kandas Rodarte sits down with Eric Archer, a middle school history teacher, lifelong LEGO builder, and dad of four, to explore how creativity with bricks shapes problem-solving skills and family bonding. From LEGO’s new “She Built That” campaign to conventions like Brick World, Eric shares how play inspires ST...
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289: How Gen X Women Entrepreneurs Can Build Connection Through Podcasting | Alesia Galati

September 16, 2025 • 55 mins
Podcasting can feel scary, exciting, and life-changing all at once. On episode 289 of Gratitude Geek, I sit down with Alesia Galati of Galati Media, who helps women entrepreneurs find their voice and share it with the world. We get real about imposter syndrome, explore how gratitude and connection sustain a podcasting journey, and celebrate marginalized voices in literature. If you're a Gen X woman entrepreneur rebuilding after a...
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From Cult Survivor to CEO | Lydia Knight

September 9, 2025 • 48 mins
What if your darkest chapter became the foundation for your greatest success? In this episode of Gratitude Geek, Kandas Rodarte sits down with Lydia Knight, a cult survivor who rewrote her life and rose to become a 7-figure CEO and executive coach. Lydia shares how she transformed indoctrination into empowerment, why curiosity is more powerful than fear, and how the “algorithms” of our brains shape the way we lead, communicate, an...
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Self-Care Survival for Gen X Women | Deb Davis, Nicole Havelka and Di Hilstad

September 2, 2025 • 47 mins
Running your own business is rewarding, but let’s be honest—it can also be exhausting, overwhelming, and sometimes downright soul-sucking. In this episode of Gratitude Geek, I chat with three powerhouse solopreneurs—Deb Davis, Nicole Halveka, and Di Hilstad—about survival-level self-care strategies for women over 40. From setting boundaries and asking for help to creating your personal “Survivor’s Toolkit,” we cover practical, real...
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Why Chasing Joy Is Better Than Chasing Money | Gretchen Schoser

August 26, 2025 • 56 mins
Is money really the measure of success—or is joy the real currency of entrepreneurship? In episode 286 of Gratitude Geek Podcast, host Kandas Rodarte talks with Gretchen Schoser, founder of Schoser Talent and Wellness Solutions and co-host of the award-winning podcast Sh!t That Goes On In Our Heads. After surviving a mental health crisis, Gretchen rebuilt her life and business from the ground up. Today she helps small business ow...
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285: 3 AI Tools I Use as a Gen X Woman Entrepreneur | Kandas Rodarte

August 19, 2025 • 20 mins
In this solo episode of Gratitude Geek, I tackle a controversial claim about artificial intelligence: “The underlying purpose of AI is to allow wealth to access skill while removing from the skilled the ability to access wealth.” – @jeffowski I call BS. Instead, I share how AI actually levels the playing field and helps solopreneurs like me grow their businesses. You’ll hear how I use three powerful tools every day: Noteboo...
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How Sharing Your Story Can Win Clients and Build Confidence | Robert B. Foster

August 12, 2025 • 54 mins
Are you missing out on clients because you’re not telling your story? In this episode of Gratitude Geek, Kandas Rodarte talks with Robert B. Foster—speaker, coach, and author of Shut Up and Grind—about the power of storytelling to grow your business and boost your confidence. Robert shares how to turn your life lessons into your most valuable marketing tool, connect authentically with clients, and find the courage to speak up even...
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283: Is Your Business Franchisable? Tips to Scale with Heart | Brittney Lincoln

August 5, 2025 • 47 mins
Franchising isn't just for big corporations—it's a growth strategy female solopreneurs can use to scale smart and with heart. In episode 283 of Gratitude Geek, I sit down with franchise strategist and connector Brittney Lincoln, founder of Females in Franchising and VP at Limitless Franchise Growth. We dig into what makes a business franchisable, how to scale without burning out, and why helping others succeed might be your best p...
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